Alternatively, a decrease in both AQP1 and AQP5 may contribute to edema by essentially reducing the transcellular rate of removal of excess water, thereby effectively trapping water in the alveolar and interstitial spaces.These changes in AQP expressions either may represent a response to inflammation associated pulmonary edema or may be causal in the formation of pulmonary edema. The gene discussed is AQP5; the disease is pulmonary edema.